Days of general discussion DGD

Half-day of general discussion on gender stereotypes

Date

17 February 2025

TIME

03:00 PM - 06:00 PM (Europe/Zurich)

LOCATION

Palais des Nations in Geneva, Conference Room XVII

During its 90th session, scheduled to be held from 3 to 21 February 2025 in Geneva, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women will hold a half-day of general discussion on gender stereotypes, organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The purpose of the half-day of general discussion is to stimulate debate and seek inputs for the elaboration by the Committee of a General Recommendation on gender stereotypes. The aim of the General Recommendation (see concept note) will be to provide guidance to States parties to the Convention on the measures they should adopt to ensure full compliance with their obligations under the Convention to combat gender stereotypes. 

Date, venue and themes 

The general discussion will take place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Conference Room XVII, on Monday, 17 February 2025 from 3 to 6 pm (Geneva time).

Participation 

The Committee invites States parties to the CEDAW Convention, United Nations entities and specialized agencies, other human rights mechanisms, international and regional intergovernmental organizations, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations, academics and other interested stakeholders to participate in the general discussion and provide written submissions.  

Written submissions

Written submissions on the theme of the general discussion They must be submitted through the CEDAW online submission system at https://events.ohchr.org/ in one of the working languages of the Committee (English, French or Spanish). Submissions must not exceed 4000 words and must be received by 10 February 2025 at the latest.  Written contributions will not be translated and should, therefore, be submitted in English, French or Spanish, the working languages of the Committee.   

Oral Interventions

During the day of general discussion, time will be allocated for oral statements.  Representatives of States parties to the Convention, United Nations entities and specialized agencies, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and other interested stakeholders wishing to deliver a brief statement not exceeding 3 minutes, either in person or via pre-recorded video statement, must indicate their intention to do so and must send their statements electronically in Word format or their pre-recorded video statements (see Quick guide for recording video messages) to Teizu Guluma at [email protected] by 10 February at the latest, indicating "Registration - General discussion on GS" in the subject.  The Committee will try to accommodate all requests for oral interventions. However, it cannot guarantee that all stakeholders who wish to take the floor will be able to do so due to time constraints and depending on the number of requests received. The Committee reserves the right to organize the list of speakers at its discretion.   

How to register

Please register for the 17 February 2025, using the Indico Platform. 

Please note that OHCHR will not provide letters of invitation to meeting participants to attend CEDAW sessions for purposes of obtaining visas. However, upon request, the Secretariat can provide a general “to whom it may concern” letter specifying that a representative has requested and obtained accreditation to a meeting. Please also note that OHCHR is unable to assist with travel and/or accommodation costs.

All participants are responsible for making their own arrangements relating to travel and accommodation as well as for obtaining visas to enter Switzerland. The Secretariat of CEDAW does not provide assistance in this regard. Representatives requiring a visa to enter Switzerland are advised to apply as early as possible, in case there are long delays for clearance by the Swiss authorities, and to ensure that the visa is received in time for travel. Past practice shows that when applying for a Swiss visa, it is recommendable to bring copies of the confirmation of registration, as well as a letter prepared by the respective organization, to the appointment with the relevant Swiss Consulate or Embassy.

Ground Pass

Under the new UNOG digital badging system, conference participants will receive a digital badge consisting of their photo, a QR code and the name and date of the conference. The digital badge will be sent to each participant by email once they have been accredited by the conference organizer. Once downloaded to a mobile phone or any mobile device, the digital badge will enable entry to the Palais des Nations. Participants can also print their digital badge and the QR code will work the same way.

Please note that conference participants still need to appear in person at the United Nations Pass and Identification Unit at the Pregny Pavillion, Prégny gate, at the Palais des Nations, to activate their digital badge.

Accessibility 

At the Palais des Nations, the Division of Administration and the UNOG Disability Inclusion Team are committed to accessibility and understand the importance of mobility support for those who need it. However, they would like to clarify that the facility has a limited number of wheelchairs, which are specifically reserved for emergency use by the UNOG medical and security services. This ensures that urgent needs can be met promptly.

For regular use within the Palais, visitors with mobility requirements are encouraged to bring their own equipment. Additionally, assistive devices, such as wheelchairs, can be rented from providers in Geneva. Information on rental options can be found here: UN Human Rights Accessibility Information

Further details on accessibility at the Palais des Nations are available here: Accessibility at UN Geneva

The Division of Administration and the UNOG Disability Inclusion Team appreciate your understanding and cooperation, as they work to ensure a safe and accessible environment for everyone.

In addition, the UNOG Safety and Security Service has confirmed that meeting participants with reduced mobility can indicate on the registration form in Indico that they would need to enter the UN premises by car. The CEDAW secretariat will inform the UNOG Safety and Security Service accordingly. Alternatively, NGO representatives with reduced mobility may enter the Palais des Nations for a drop off either by official taxis or by private vehicle. The information on the type and color of vehicle as well as the plate and name of the driver, if available, should be communicated to [email protected] at least 24 hours before the access time.

For further information on accessibility please consult: UN: Organizing an Accessible Meeting | The United Nations Office at Geneva

Further information

For further information on the day of general discussion, kindly contact the Secretariat of the Committee by e-mail at: [email protected] or at [email protected].

Agenda
List of speakers
Biographies of speakers
Written Contributions

States Parties

United Nations and Other International Organizations

NGOs

Others

Oral Interventions

Opening Remarks

Introductory Remarks

Presentations by panel speakers

Closing remarks

Oral statements 

States parties

UN Organisations

NGOs

Individuals

Tags